Urban Cooperative Banks
Syllabus: GS3/Economy
Context
- Recently, the Union Home and Cooperation Minister, at the ‘Co-op Kumbh 2025’, called on Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) to play a transformative role in empowering India’s youth and underprivileged communities.
Key Highlights of Co-op Kumbh 2025
- ‘Delhi Declaration 2025’: It was adopted by the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies (NAFCUB), focusing on enhancing financial stability, governance, and digitization within the cooperative banking network.
Connect with the basics – Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)
- These are financial institutions primarily serving urban and semi-urban populations.
- Principles of cooperation – mutual help, democratic decision making and open membership, unlike commercial banks.
- Significance – They cater to small businesses, salaried individuals, and lower-income groups, offering banking services such as deposits, loans, and credit facilities.
- They play a vital role in promoting inclusive economic growth, supporting small traders, entrepreneurs, and the weaker sections of society.
Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP)
Syllabus:GS2/Governance
In News
- The Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) has been launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Basic terms – Remediation vs Bioremediation
- Remediation is the broad process of removing or containing environmental contaminants.
- Bioremediation is a sub-category of remediation that employs microorganisms like bacteria and fungi to degrade or transform pollutants
Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP)
- It aims to fast-track the remediation of remaining dumpsites and reclaim valuable urban land for community and infrastructure development
- It helps in achieving India’s vision of achieving “Lakshya Zero Dumpsites” by September 2026.
Lucifer Bee
Syllabus: GS3/Species in News
Context
- Australian scientists have discovered a new native bee species named Lucifer.
About
- The new species – dubbed Megachile (Hackeriapis) Lucifer – was first discovered in 2019 in the state of Western Australia.
- Australia has around 2,000 native bee species, more than 300 of which are yet to be scientifically named and described.
- The highly distinctive, upward-pointing horns on the female bee’s face inspired its name.
- Interestingly, the species’ male bees lack the horns.
Gaganyaan Mission
Syllabus: GS3/Space
In News
- ISRO successfully conducted a critical parachute test for its upcoming human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan.
- ISRO will next conduct three uncrewed flights with Vyomitra, a half-humanoid robot, aiming for a crewed mission by early 2027.
Gaganyaan Mission
- Approved in – December 2018.
- Financial outlay -₹20,193 crore.
- Uniqueness – It is India’s first indigenous human spaceflight initiative.
- Objective – It aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by sending a crew to 400 km low-Earth orbit for three days, with a safe return and sea landing in Indian waters.
- Launch vehicle – LVM3 rocket, is identified as the launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission.
International Cryosphere Climate Initiative
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
In News
- The “2025 State of the Cryosphere Report” underscores that Earth’s glaciers and ice sheets are rapidly melting.
Connect with the basics – Cryosphere
- The cryosphere is the part of the Earth’s climate system that includes solid precipitation, snow, sea ice, lake and river ice, icebergs, glaciers and ice caps, ice sheets, ice shelves, permafrost, and seasonally frozen ground.
- The term “cryosphere” traces its origins to the Greek word ‘kryos’ for frost or ice cold.
- The cryosphere extends globally not just in the Arctic, Antarctic, and mountain regions, and in approximately one hundred countries.
- The largest continental ice sheets are found in Antarctica.
- Approximately 70% of the Earth’s freshwater exists as snow or ice.
National Water Awards 2024
Syllabus: Miscellaneous
Context
- Maharashtra has secured the first position in the Best State category of the 6th National Water Awards for 2024.
- Gujarat and Haryana have been placed second and third
National Water Awards 2024
National Water Awards
- The National Water Awards were first launched in 2018.
- Objective – The awards aim to recognize efforts in water management and conservation.
- Significance – The initiative supports the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ (Water Prosperous India).
3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025)
Syllabus: GS3/Environment
In News
- At the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen,the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy highlighted the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) as a catalyst for India’s clean energy transition in green hydrogen.
Green Hydrogen
- Green Hydrogen: It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
- Benefit: It is a clean burning element that can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.
- Hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time which can be used to produce electricity using fuel cells.
National Green Hydrogen Mission
- Aim: To make India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen.
- Implementing Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE)
Additional Information – Hydrogen
- Symbol and Atomic number – Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1.
- Hydrogen is the lightest element and the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, constituting roughly 75% of all normal matter.
- It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible gas.
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